Locomotive draft appliance.



No. 673,726. Patented May 7, IBM.

J. PLAYER. LOGDMUTIVE DRAFT APPLIANCE.

(Applicatioxi filed Oct. 9. X900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 673,726. Patented May 7, [90L J. PLAYER.

LOGOMOTIVE DRAFT APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Oct. 9.. 1900. (No Mode\.) 3 Sheats-Sheat 2.

WITNESSES:

No. 673,726. Patented May 7, l90l. J. PLAYER.

LOCDMOTIVE DRAFT APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Oct. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Shear-Shoat 3.

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NITED' STATES JOHN PLAYER, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROOKS LOCO- MOTIVE WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCOMOTIVE DRAFT APPLIANCE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,726, dated May 7 1901.

Application filed October 9; 1900. Serial No. 32,548. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern: sitating an additional spark-arresting appli- Be it known that I, JOHN PLAYER, of Dunance to cover the lower openings in the exkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State haust-pipe. Moreover, by reason of the disof New York, have invented a certain new advantageous location of said openings it has v and usefulImprovement in Locomotive Draft been found in practice that the discharge Appliances, of which improvement the folarea of the exhaust-nozzle cannot be matelowing is a specification.- rially increased and a sufficient draft upon The object of my invention is to provide a the fire be maintained, and, further, that exdraft appliance for locomotive or other enhaust-pipes of this character rapidly choke [O gines in which the draft upon the fire is creup in the steam-discharge opening and cut ated by the utilization of the exhaust-steam out by the abrasion of the cinders in the cenfrom the cylinders, by the employment of .tral opening. which a greater and more uniform draft may The leading and essential feature of my inbe maintained and the back pressure in the vention consists in the combination, with a 15 cylinders be reduced relatively to construcsmoke-box, of an exhaust-pipe having an antions heretofore known or proposed. nular nozzle of large area for the escape of The improvement claimed is hereinafter the exhaust-steam and provided with an infully set forth. ternal passage for the entrainment of a por- Locomotive draft appliances known in praction of the gases of combustion of sufficient zo tice prior to my invention have ordinarily area to enable the entrained gases to parcomprised an exhaust-pipe communicating tially destroy the vacuum created in the inwith the cylinder exhaust-passages and havterior of the annular column of escaping ing a single central opening or two adjoining steam, said gases being admitted through openings for the escape of exhaust-steam, openings located abovea spark-arrester, so

25 said opening, or each opening when two are that the effective point for the creation of used, being provided with a contracted nozvacuum may by properly centralized in the zle bushing, or cap of diameter and transsmoke-box. The intensity of the vacuum is verse area designed to be such as would cause thereby augmented with a materially lower the exhaust-steam to properly fill the stack velocity of the escaping steam,and an in- 30 and produce sufficient vacuum in the smokecrease in the discharge area of the exhaustbox to maintain the necessary draft upon the nozzle of from thirty to fifty per cent. has fire, draft, lift, or petticoat pipes for the enbeen found to be satisfactorily attainable in trainment of the gases of combustion being actual practice. in many cases interposed between the ex- In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is 5 haust-nozzles and the base'of the stack for averticallongitudinalcentralsection through the purpose of increasing and equalizing the the smoke-box and forward portion of the draft. In some instances exhaust-pipes havwaist of a locomotive-boiler, illustrating an ing annular nozzles have been employed; but application of my invention; Fig. 2, a vertiin all such cases, so far as my knowledge and cal transverse section through the smoke-box;

40 information extend, either the eXhaust-dis- Fig. 3, a side view, partly in elevation and 0 charge opening from one cylinder has been partly in section, of the exhaust-pipe; Fig. 4, located centrally and that of the other ana vertical transverse section through the nularly or where the exhaust-passages from same; Figs. 5 and 6, horizontal sections at both cylinders unite in a common annular the lines ct a and b b, respectively, of Fig. 4;

45 discharge-nozzle the opening for the admisand Fig. 7, a view in elevation of the exhaust- 5 sion of the gases to fill the vacuum formed tip and upper portion of the exhaust-pipe as inside the annular nozzle has been located at seen diagonally.

the lower part of the exhaust-pipe and below My invention is herem exemplified as apthe spark-arrester, thereby presenting two plied in connection with a locomotive-boiler 50 points of draft in the smoke-box and necesof the type now standard on railroads, in

which the shell or waist 1 is provided with a plurality of tubes 2, which are secured at their front ends to a tube-sheet 3 and through which the gases of combustion pass from the fire-box to the smoke-box 4, which is secured at its rear end to the front ring of the shell 1 and at its bottom to the cylinder-saddles 5. The forward end of the smoke-box is closed by a metal front 6, having a central door 7, and it is provided at top with a stack 8, to which in large locomotives having comparaiively short stacks a downward extension 9, having an adjustable cone 10 at its lower end and serving as a draft or lift pipe, may be connected, as herein shown.

In the practice of my invention I provide an exhaust-pipe 12, which is connected at its lower end to the cylinder-saddles 5 and cornmunicates with the exhaust-passages 13 thereof, a vertical bridge 14 extending upwardly for a proper distance in the exhaust-pipe to separate the currents of steam from said pas sages, as in ordinary practice. The interior of the exhaust-pipe is for the major portion of its height substantially unbroken or unobstructed, (the small blower-pipe hereinafter described being the only member which extends into it,) so as to present nearly to its top a passage for the traverse of exhauststeam which is of the full width of its bore. The shell or wall of the exhaust-pipe is double at and for some distance below its topthat is to say, is composed of an inner and an outer body of metal. The inner body surrounds a central passage 15 for the discharge of gases which are entrained through lateral inlet-passages 16, adjacent to the top of the exhaust-pipe, and an annular cap or tip 17, of metal, is secured removably by bolts 18 and nuts 19 to lugs on the outer body, an annular exhaust-steam-discharge opening 20, which constitutes the exit of the exhaustpipe, being presented between the inner body of metal and the cap or tip 17. It will be obvious that by employing caps or tips of different inward inclination or curvature, respectively, the area of the exhaust discharge opening 20 may be increased or diminished as may be found necessary or desirable for use with different qualities of fuel or under different conditions of service of the engine on which the appliance is used. The inletpassages 16 are located above the spark-arresterthat is to say, on the side of the netting thereof which is farther from the tubes both for the purpose of efiecting the entrainment of gases at a proper level and to prevent the discharge of solid particles before passing through the netting of the spark-arrester. Two of these passages are shown in this instance; but one, three, or more may be employed, if preferred, the number not being material. For convenience of construction the upper portion of the exhaust-pipe may, if desired, be cast separately from the lower portion and be connected thereto by bolts.

The blower-pipe 21 is preferably inserted through the shell of the exhaust-pipe, at one side thereof, and is provided with an upward extension 22, the discharge-opening of which is concentric with the gas-discharge passage 15, so that entrainment of gases and consequent augmentation of draft may be efiected when steam is discharged through the blowerpipe. If preferred, a passage may be cored in the casting for connection with the blower, or it may be caused to discharge in small jets disposed around the central passage 15, or it may be unconnected with the exhaustpipe and applied externally in the ordinary manner.

The sparkarresting appliance employed does not in and of itself form part of my present invention, and various constructions known to those skilled in the art will be found to be suitably applicable in connection therewith. In the instance exemplified the sparkarrester comprises an inclined deflecting-plate 23, which extends across the smoke-box in front of the tube-sheet 3, to which it is connected above the upper row of tubes, and which is downwardly prolonged by an adjustable perforated plate or apron 2a. The upper and lower portions of the smoke-box are separated by inclined front, rear, and side sheets of wire-netting or perforated plate 25, 26, and 27, the lower sides of which are secured to the exhaust-pipe below theinlet-passages 16. The front sheet is provided with a suitable manhole, which is covered by a removable frame 28, inclosing a sheet of netting or perforated plate, and is connected at its upper side to an unperforated vertical plate 29, extending to the top of the smokebox. The upper side of the rear sheet 26 is connected to the deflecting-plate 23, and the upper sides of the side sheets 2'7 are connected to inclined unperforated plates 30, the upper sides of which are in turn secured to the smoke-box. The side plates 30 are provided for the purpose of centralizing the discharge area through the sparkarrester and creating a more uniform draft. Lugs or flanges 31 on the exhaust-pipe, below the inlet-passages 16, are provided for the attachment thereto of the sheets of netting or perforated plate.

It will be seen that my invention is simple and inexpensive in construction and readily adaptable without change in or addition to other members in locomotive-boilers of the ordinary construction. The relation of the steam and gas discharge passages of the exhaust-pipe one to the other and to the sparkarresting appliance is such that it is impossible for any cinders or unconsumed fuel which may be drawn through the boiler-tubes to enter the gas-discharge passage until after passing through the netting or other separating medium of the spark-arrester, and the location of the gas-inlets adjacent to the exhaustcap enables the draft-inducing action of the exhaust-steam to be exerted as nearly as may be centrally in the smoke-box, where it is most efiective in the production of vacuum under a comparatively free discharge.

My improvement, while herein shown as more particularly designed for application in locomotive-boilers, is equally adaptable to use in any other type of boiler in which the ex 1 haust-steam is employed to maintain the draft upon the fire. It has been applied with entirely satisfactory results as to free steaming and economy upon several diiferent railroads, and the material reduction of back pressure due to its use will be manifest from the fact that in the instances referred to the exhauststeam-discharge area of the nozzle has been made forty per cent. or more in excess of that used in exhaust-pipes of the ordinary construction.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a boiler smokebox, of an exhaust-pipe having a central passage for the discharge of gases, inlet-passages leading thereinto for the entrain ment of gases, and an annular steam-discharge passage surrounding the gas-discharge passage, and a sparkarrester extending from the walls of the smoke-box to the exhaust-pipe, below the inlet-passages thereof, and intercepting the traverse of products of combustion into the gas-discharge passage.

2. The combination, with a boiler smokebox, of an exhaust-pipe having a central passage for the discharge of gases, inlet-passages leading thereinto for the entrainment of gases, and an annular steam-discharge passage surrounding the gas-discharge passage, a cap or tip secured removably to the top of the exhaust-pipe and forming the upper outer wall of the steam-discharge passage, and a sparkarrester extending from the walls of the smoke-box to the exhaust-pipe, below the inlet-passages thereof, and intercepting the traverse of products of combustion into the gas-discharge passage.

3. The combination, with a boiler smokebox, of an exhaust-pipe having concentric inner and outer walls at and adjoining its top, the space between said walls being open at top and communicating with the interior of the exhaustpipe, and the inner wall surrounding a central open-topped gas-discharge passage, and inlet-passages leading into said gas-discharge passage, and a spark-arrester extending from the walls of the smoke-box to the exhaust pipe, below the inlet passages thereof,and intercepting the traverse of prodnets of combustion into the gas-discharge passage.

4. The combination, with a boiler smokebox, of an exhaust-pipe having a central passage for the discharge of gases, inlet-passages leading thereinto for the entrainment of gases, and an annular steam-discharge passage surrounding the gas-discharge passage, an inwardly curved or inclined cap or tip secured removablyto the top of the exhaust-pipe and forming the upper outer wall of the steamdischarge passage, and a spark-arrester extending from the walls of the smoke-box to the exhaust-pipe, below the inlet-passages thereof,and intercepting the traverse of products of combustion into the gas-discharge pas sage.

5. The combination, with a boiler smoke box, of an exhaust-pipe having a central passage for the discharge of gases, inlet-passages leading thereinto for the entrainment of gases, and an annular steam-discharge passage surrounding the gas discharge passage, a blowerpipe leading into the gas-discharge passage, and having an open end concentric therewith, and a spark-arrester extending from the walls of the smoke-box to the exhaust-pipe, below the inlet-passages thereof, and intercepting the traverse of products of combustion into the gas-discharge passage.

6. In a draft-inducing exhaust-pipe, the combination of an outer shell or wall inclosing a passage for the traverse of exhauststeam, which passage is substantially the entire bore of the shell for the major portion of its height, an inner shell or wall located at and adjoining the upper end of the outer shell and forming the outer boundary of a central gas-discharge passage and the inner boundary of a concentric annular exhaust-steamdischarge passage, an annular cap or tip secured removably to the outer shell and forming the upper outer wall of the steam-discharge passage, inlet-passages formed by and between the inner and outer shells and leading into the gas-discharge passage, adjacent to the top of the exhaust-pipe, and lugs or flanges fixed to the outer shell, below said inlet-passages, for connection with a sparkarrester.

JOHN PLAYER.

Witnesses.

JAS. MCNAUGHTON, J. G. BLUNT. 

